


X-Patrol: Chapter 13 - Aughhh!

by thebasement_archivist



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Fiction, M/M, Mpreg, Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-02-02
Updated: 2004-02-02
Packaged: 2018-11-21 01:55:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11347476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebasement_archivist/pseuds/thebasement_archivist
Summary: Someone gives birth.  But wasn't that obvious by the title?





	X-Patrol: Chapter 13 - Aughhh!

**Author's Note:**

> Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Basement](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Basement), which moved to the AO3 to ensure the stories are always available and so that authors may have complete control of their own works. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Basement's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thebasement/profile).

X-Patrol: Chapter 13 - Aughhh!

### X-Patrol: Chapter 13 - Aughhh!

#### by Jo B

  


Title: X-Patrol: Chapter 13 - Aughhh! 

Author: Jo B 

Keywords: M/Sk, D/K, and J/B. Slash AU mpreg XF/TS crossover 

Rating: NC-17 

Story Summary: Colonization has begun. Four men set aside their differences and form an alliance to fight the aliens and stake out a new life together in their shattered world. 

Chapter Summary: Someone gives birth ... but wasn't that obvious by the title? 

Disclaimer: The X-Files are the property Chris Carter, 1013 productions and Fox Broadcasting. The Sentinel belongs to Pet Fly Productions, UPN, and Paramount. No money is being made from their use. 

Author's notes: Whew ... I'm glad I got this one off my chest! :) Although Bertie did beat me to it with her pregnant Skinner giving birth first. Just don't expect Mulder, Doggett, and Ellison to get off too easy. 

Warning! This story contains romance between two men. Turn back now, if the subject matter offends you. Warning! Warning! This story contains male pregnancy! Eek run for your lives! 

Archive: Yes, just leave my name attached. 

Web site: http://slashingmulder.com/JoB/ 

Special thanks to my beta-readers Joey and Xscribe. 

* * *

Chapter 13  
X-Patrol 

Aughhh! 

The Rat, Dog, Panther, Bear, and Wolf 

Thursday, June 13, 2002 

The late afternoon sunlight filtered in through the two open windows, highlighting the golden honey hues on the thick log walls and giving the loft bedroom a warm inviting atmosphere. Sunlight kissed the wood spindle railing that ran the length of the loft overlooking the parlor below, while the sounds and smells of the farmyard drifted into the room from outside. Paul Doggett sat in a wing-backed chair next to Krycek's bedside, and talked to the man who was pregnant with his grandchild. 

The room was stiflingly hot. Paul watched as Alex sucked on an ice cube while sweat dripped off the young man's forehead. For the sake of modesty Alex wore white briefs and a sleeveless undershirt to cover his breasts. His round belly was uncovered and Paul couldn't keep from looking at it in stunned amazement. 

The last time Paul had been there, he had discovered his son and the other men had contracted an alien virus that had changed them into werewolves. That had been unbelievable in and of itself, but to be confronted with something even more remarkable was almost more than Paul could comprehend. Only his faith in God helped him to see the blessing behind this miraculous conception. His God was the giver of life, so in Paul's eyes these pregnancies were a gift from God. 

"When is the baby due?" Paul asked. 

"End of August -- over two long months away," Krycek sighed as he rested a hand on his belly. 

"Walter said his baby is due in a month," Paul said, still not quite over the shock of seeing that strong manly man pregnant. 

"At least he's not bedridden like me." 

"Is there anything you could use to help get you through the next couple of months?" 

"Do you know of anything I can do in bed to pass the time?" 

"I'd suggest whittling but I don't think my son would approve of the bed being filled with wood shavings." 

Krycek rubbed the ice cube over his neck. "Liz wants to teach me how to knit." 

"Who's Liz?" Paul and his son Mike had only arrived that morning. 

"She's a military doctor who helped me after my motorcycle accident. Liz moved to the mountain after she and John rescued me from the military hospital." 

Paul's son had described Alex's accident and the military arresting him for treason. John only briefly discussed freeing Alex from a military hospital with the help of a female Colonel who was also a doctor. "It's good to know that you have someone who is qualified to take care of you." 

"Laura Nightingale is qualified, too," Krycek said. "We've been quite lucky to have two doctors living so close to us." 

John and Ellison walked into the bedroom carrying pipes and a soldering torch. "We're going to see if we can get the toilet installed and hooked up to the septic tank this afternoon," John said as his eyes caressed over Krycek before meeting his dad's eyes. 

"Do you need any help?" Paul asked. 

"It's not necessary. Fox and Mike are outside digging a trench to the house drain that connects to our septic tank. Jim and I have everything under control up here." John's eyes fell back on Krycek. "How are you doing, Alex? Do you need anything?" 

"I'm fine ... just focus on getting that toilet installed, so we can deep six the bedpan." 

"Liz and Laura are supposed to be over later for your check up." 

"They're going to gang up on me." Krycek sighed. 

Paul sat listening quietly to their conversation. He could see the concern in his son's eyes whenever he looked at Alex. "I'm sure they only want what's best for you and the baby," Paul said. "I brought some lemons. Would you like me to make you a nice cold glass of lemonade?" 

Krycek brightened. "I'd love some lemonade." 

Paul patted Alex's leg. "I'll go downstairs and fix it right up." He stood as John and Jim carried the pipes into the bathroom. 

In the kitchen, Sandburg was making buns for the hotdogs and polish sausages that Paul had brought, while Skinner sat on a stool at the tall cook's table reading. Skinner had told Paul that the counter stool was the only chair he could sit on where he was able to get back on his feet without help. 

"What are you reading?" Paul asked as he walked into the kitchen. 

"A book Liz brought us on everything we'd want to know about babies from birth to age two." Skinner held up the book so Paul could see the title. 

"Are you looking forward to the baby?" 

"At first I wasn't but now I can't wait." Skinner glanced down at his belly. "It's really amazing to feel the baby move and know that this little life is a part of Fox and me." 

"Jim and I are looking forward to our child, too," Sandburg said as he shaped the dough into buns and placed them on a greased cookie sheet. 

As they talked, Paul retrieved a pitcher from the cupboard. "Is there anything you need for the babies?" he asked while glancing between Skinner and Sandburg. 

"Liz picked us up almost everything we would need, except toys and children's books," Sandburg said. 

"We could make the toys ourselves," Skinner said. 

"Okay, next time I come up I'll bring all of John's and his siblings children's books," Paul said. He didn't say that he planned to bring toys too for his future grandchildren. Paul had come to consider John's friends as part of his family. 

"That's really nice of you, Paul." Skinner stood and closed the book. 

"The books are in boxes up in my attic. At least you can get some use out of them," Paul said as he added sugar and squeezed several lemons to the pitcher before filling it with cold tap water. He mixed it until the sugar dissolved then got a tray of ice out of the freezer. "Would either of you like some lemonade?" 

"I would!" Skinner and Sandburg said in unison. 

Paul retrieved four glasses from the cupboard and filled them with ice then poured the lemonade into each. "So what are you making for supper?" he asked while handing a glass to Sandburg. 

"It's too hot to cook inside, so I plan to grill those Polish sausages and hotdogs you brought us outside on the barbecue." 

"Sounds good," Paul said. "Are the Gunmen coming over?" He was looking forward to talking to Melvin again. 

"They'll be here," Sandburg said as he sipped the lemonade. "Langly is really excited about having a couple of hotdogs." 

The back door opened and two women stepped into the kitchen. Paul recognized Laura Nightingale who was dressed in denim shorts and sleeveless top. His heart skipped a beat as his eyes fell on the older woman. She was very attractive dressed in white Capri pants, a red cotton short-sleeved blouse, and a white straw hat. 

"Hi, Liz, Laura," Skinner and Sandburg greeted. 

"Hi guys. How are you feeling today?" Laura asked. 

"I'm fine," Sandburg said. 

"The heat is a bit uncomfortable," Skinner said as he turned to Paul. "Paul, I think you remember Laura Nightingale." 

"Yes, I do. It's a pleasure to see you again," Paul said as he shook her hand then looked at the other woman as Skinner introduced them. 

"Paul, I'd like you to meet Colonel Elizabeth Nash, MD," Skinner said. "Liz, this is Paul Doggett, John's father." 

Paul shook her hand. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Liz. Alex mentioned that you helped my son rescue him from a military hospital." 

"I couldn't allow Alex to remain in the hands of our military," Liz said, smiling. "John has told me a lot about you and Mike." 

"I hope all good." Paul returned her smile as he looked into her bright blue eyes. 

"Your son is quite proud of you and his brother." 

"John is a good son." Paul picked up the lemonades. "It was nice meeting you, Liz, and I hope we'll have some more time to chat. Right now, I need to get Alex's lemonade upstairs before the ice melts." 

"I'll see you later, Paul." She turned to face Skinner. "Let's go into your bedroom, Walter." 

Laura turned to Sandburg. "Blair, if you could take some time away from cooking, I'll examine you in your bedroom." 

~x~X~x~ 

The Fox and Bear 

Mike Doggett wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. He stood next to Mulder in the deep trench they were digging for the new drainage pipe. They had to dig below the frost line. It was slow going; they kept hitting rocks and stones. 

"I don't think we'll get this finished today," Mulder said. 

"No ... it doesn't look like it," Mike said. 

Mulder climbed out of the trench and looked at the large pile of stones next to the trench. "At least we got a lot of nice size stones for the fireplace we plan to build later this summer." 

"If Pa can spare me, maybe I'll come back and give you guys a hand," Mike said as he took Mulder's offered hand and used it to pull himself out of the trench. 

"We could use the help. Walter is looking forward to working on the addition. We don't plan to start construction until August, so by then he should be recovered from the c-section." Mulder stretched to get the kinks out of his muscles. 

"How long did it take you to accept that they were pregnant?" Mike picked up the shovels and pickax. "I'm having a hard time believing it even when seeing it with my own two eyes." 

Mulder walked with him to the tool shed. "I had no problem accepting that they were pregnant. Walter on the other hand didn't come to terms with his condition until around his sixth month." 

The smell of meat grilling and the sound of talking drew their attention to the brick barbecue grill in the backyard. The Gunmen had arrived and it looked like Laura and Liz had finished examining Skinner, Krycek, and Sandburg. 

Skinner came walking across the yard to join them at the tool shed. "Did you get the drainage pipe hooked up?" 

"Not yet," Mulder said as he removed the blue bandana tied around his head used to keep his long hair out of his eyes and mopped the sweat from his face with it. "The digging is taking longer than we had anticipated." 

Skinner reached out and took the shovels from Mike. "You and Mike look beat. Go wash up at the pump while I finish putting the tools away." 

"Thanks." Mulder leaned in and kissed him. "C'mon, Mike, let's hurry before Langly eats all the hotdogs." 

~x~X~x~ 

The Dog and Rat 

Doggett carried a tray with two Polish sausages and potato salad upstairs to the loft bedroom. 

He found Alex standing with a hand on the window screen, looking out at the party below. Setting the tray on the folding card table, Doggett unloaded the plates and lemonade. 

"I brought our dinner." 

"Good ... the smell from the barbecue was making my mouth water," Krycek said as he turned away from the window. 

"How long have you been standing?" Doggett asked, concerned. 

"Don't worry, not long," Krycek said as he sat at the table. He picked up the polish sausage inside a bun smothered with onions and mustard, and took a bite while John sat next to him. "Mm ... good." 

"I'm sorry we didn't get the toilet hooked up today. Fox and Mike ran into some trouble digging the trench. The ground on that side of the house is loaded with rocks." Doggett took a bite of his sausage while keeping a close eye on Alex. 

"You're the one who has to empty the bedpan and urinal," Krycek said. 

"I don't mind doing that for you," Doggett said. 

"You should be downstairs visiting with your dad and brother. They're only going to be here for a couple of days." 

"I'd rather be up here dining with you." 

Krycek met John's eyes. "You shouldn't be ... not after the way I treated you." 

"Do you want to tell me why?" 

"I don't know...." Krycek sighed. "No matter how much I wanted a normal life, I knew I wasn't meant to have one. I was afraid I'd hurt you if I let you get too close. I never allowed anyone close before...." 

"We can work it out, Alex. I'm willing to try anything if you'd just let me in." Doggett reached out and placed his hand on Krycek's arm. "If you don't want to do that for me then do it for our daughter." 

"I want to do it for you ... it's just so hard." 

"Let's try to work it out together." 

Krycek looked down at his belly. "We haven't even discussed a name for her yet." 

"Do you have a name you'd like?" 

"No. What about you?" 

"My Grandmother's name was Gwendolyn," Doggett said. 

"I like it ... we can call her Gwen for short." Krycek took another bite before he asked, "Was she Paul's or your mom's mother?" 

"She was my Pa's mom." 

They continued to eat in silence. After they finished Doggett stood and gathered the dishes back on the tray. He leaned down and kissed Alex softly on the lips. "Get in bed. I'll be back up in a couple of minutes to massage your leg," he said as he carried the tray out of the room. 

~x~X~x~ 

The sun had set and the temperature dipped into the low-seventies, making cuddling in bed so much more comfortable. Through the open window, Krycek could hear crickets chirping and bullfrogs croaking. At one point he heard an owl hooting. He lay on his side with a pillow between his knees while John held him from behind. God, he'd almost lost this through his own stupidity and insecurity. 

While he enjoyed the secure way John held him as if trying to protect and comfort him at the same time, Krycek knew he couldn't lose this -- he had to make it work. Maybe he should talk to Fox about his problem with allowing anyone too close. The man was a psychologist after all. If anyone could give him advice he could trust it was his former lover and friend. 

"Alex, you awake?" John murmured. 

"Yeah ... I was listening to the bullfrogs. It sounds like they'e trying to get some." 

"Typical males." Doggett chuckled. 

"You know what I want to do?" 

"No, what?" 

"After Gwen is born, I want to go swimming in our lake." 

"So I take it Fox has told you he's gone swimming in the lake with the Gunmen." 

"Yeah. Fox said there's a small sand beach on the Gunmen's side of the lake that Frohike's uncle had built for Frohike when he was just a boy." During the last couple of days when the temperature rose into the low nineties, Krycek had dreamed about that small beach. 

"For now you'll just have to be okay with the whirlpool tub my dad brought us for the bathroom." 

"Whirlpool?" 

"You probably won't be able to use the whirlpool until after the baby is born but the tub is deep and wide ... we can take baths together." 

"I'm sold. When will you have it installed?" 

"In the next few days." 

"John?" 

"Hmm?" 

"Love ya." 

"Me too. Now go to sleep." 

Alex smiled as his lover's arms held him more securely. 

~x~X~x~ 

The Bear and Fox 

Friday, June 14, 2002 

For a change, Skinner sat on the bed and massaged his lover's stiff muscles. 

"Oh God, I don't remember ever being this sore," Mulder moaned as he lay naked on his stomach. 

"I saw that trench you and Mike dug with that pile of rocks next to it -- I'm not surprised you're feeling it tonight." Skinner's fingers worked the tight muscles of Fox's back and shoulder. "I wish I was in a condition where I could have helped you dig it." 

"Hmm, once the baby is born you can help me chop several cords of firewood for this winter." 

Skinner chuckled. "I'm going to need to do something to get back into shape and chopping wood might just be the ticket." He worked his way down to Fox's bare ass. What he wouldn't give to sink his dick between those beautiful round cheeks. It'd been over a month since he'd been able to fuck his gorgeous lover -- a month where he'd been hornier than hell. If it weren't for Fox's skilled mouth, he'd probably have exploded. The first thing he planned to do after the kid was born was screw the hell out of his lover. 

Mulder rolled onto his side and looked up at Walter. "God, you make me so fucking hot." 

Skinner's eyes trailed from his lover's eyes to the erection straining against his flat belly. He lowered his large frame down on the bed and lay on his side facing Fox. The desire in Fox's gaze made Skinner's heart soar. "Would you like me to finish your massage?" he asked as his fingers wrapped around Fox's velvety shaft and felt it harden even more in his grip. 

"I think you need a bit of massaging yourself," Mulder said as he found Walter's large erection beneath his round belly. 

While staring into the other's eyes they slowly jacked each other off. Skinner chewed on his lower lip to stifle a moan. He wanted to hold off until he brought Fox off, but that wasn't going to happen. His body was just too sensitive to any stimulation. A grunt passed his lips as he came and the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth as he bit his lower lip. 

When Skinner opened his eyes, he saw a look of amused satisfaction on Fox's face and grumbled, "Just wait until after I have the kid then we'll see who comes first." 

"Oh goodie a contest...." Mulder chuckled then gasped as Walter squeezed his shaft. 

A few quick pulls were all it took for Skinner to bring Fox over the abyss. He loved the way Fox looked as he came, full lips parted, head thrown back, and eyes closed in pleasure. 

After a couple of minutes had passed, Fox relaxed against Skinner and kissed his lips, tenderly soothing his lower lip with swipes of that luscious tongue. 

Skinner caressed his lover's back and asked, "Could you get my pillow, sweetheart?" 

"Sure." Mulder grabbed the extra pillow and placed it between Walter's legs. "Is that better? Is there anything else you need?" 

"Could you clean me up?" 

"Sure, I was going to get up and get a washcloth." As Mulder climbed out of bed, he slapped at a mosquito that had landed on his arm. "I think we should hang the mosquito netting over the bed." 

Even with screens on the windows it was impossible to keep flies and mosquitoes out of the house. There were just too many people walking in and out. 

"I'll hang it up tomorrow," Skinner said. 

There was a hook in the ceiling over the bed where the netting would hang then be draped over the high bedposts and the crib that was set up next to the bed. The crib had come as a surprise to Skinner when Fox showed it to him. Liz had brought small mattresses for it and the other two cribs that the men had made. 

Skinner watched Fox as his lover walked around the bed. "I'll cut your hair tomorrow, too." 

Mulder made a face as he pulled on a robe. "As long as you don't give me a stupid ass haircut like you did Alex." 

"I like your hair long, Fox, but I thought you'd be more comfortable wearing is short in the summer." 

Running his fingers through his long hair, Mulder sighed, "Okay, since I haven't had it cut since I moved here ... just no buzz cuts." 

"Don't worry, I used to help my mom at her hair salon after school," Skinner said. "I learned a few things." 

"I thought you just swept the floors and emptied the trash." Mulder chuckled. 

"You're a brat." 

Mulder walked over to the bed, leaned down, and kissed him. "Since you did a good job on Jim's and John's hair, I'll trust you with mine." 

~x~X~x~ 

The Wolf and Panther 

Lying on his side with one leg slightly bent and pressed against his pregnant belly, Sandburg enjoyed the slow thrusts from his lover's cock, filling his rectum. The baby kicked. Sandburg placed a hand over his belly while his mind wandered from the exquisite pleasure to more mundane thoughts. "Do you know what this place is going to need?" 

Ellison paused and looked over Sandburg's shoulder. 

Sandburg wiggled his butt. He'd been enjoying Jim's shaft thrusting into him and didn't want it to stop. "Why'd you stop?" 

"I'm in the middle of fucking you and you ask a question." 

"Just because I'm enjoying being fucked doesn't mean my mind can't be thinking about something else at the same time." When Jim's fingers found his erection and squeezed, all thoughts fled from Sandburg's head. 

"You were saying, Chief?" 

Sandburg moaned. "You have my full attention." 

"Good." Ellison kissed his cheek then started thrusting again. 

Twenty minutes later after they both had come and were lying in the blissful pleasure of each other's arms. Ellison asked, "What does this place need?" 

"It's not important." Sandburg smiled contently as he lay with his back pressed against Jim's chest. 

"Blair...." 

"Okay, I'll tell you. Since we're going to be living here for the foreseeable future, I thought we could use schoolbooks ... we're going to have to home school the children." 

"Isn't it a little early to be thinking about this?" 

"Some parents start reading and playing music to the baby while it's still in the womb." 

Ellison placed his hand over Sandburg's belly. "Okay. What types of books are we going to need?" 

"I think we can find all the books we'll need at any of the abandoned elementary and high schools near the ruins." 

"I'll tell you what. I'll talk to Sean and see if he can work it out with the military to get permission to retrieve the books. There are dozens of families that have moved here that could use them for their kids, too. That way the military won't know who the books are for and we don't have to risk capture by sneaking off the mountain." 

"That works for me." 

~x~X~x~ 

The Frog 

Saturday, June 15, 2002 

Nash held onto Frohike from behind as they rode the horse down into the valley. She didn't think she'd ever get over the beauty of this place from the tall majestic mountains to the rolling hills and green fields. 

Over a hundred sheep grazed in a field to their left. Off in the distance she could see several barns and farmhouses. 

"Maybe I'll make you lamb chops for dinner tonight," Frohike said. 

"Add fresh asparagus and you will get lucky tonight," Nash teased. 

"You're easy." 

"Only for you, Mel." She laughed. 

They rode into the farmyard. Ada Elend was on the front porch shaking out a rug. 

"Melvin, how are you?" she called. 

"I'm fine, Ada," Frohike said as he helped Nash off the horse before sliding out of the saddle. 

The woman draped the rug over the railing and walked down the steps and over to Nash. "Hi, I'm Ada. And you are?" 

Nash smiled at her. Ada was the same height and age as she was. "I'm Liz. I moved in with Laura Nightingale." 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Liz," Ada said as they shook hands. "I've been saying for years that Laura needed a roommate. I always worried about her being in that cabin all alone during the winter." 

Frohike tied the horse to a hitching post. "Where's Arne?" 

Ada raised an eyebrow. "You should know, Melvin." 

"Oops, that's right he's on guard duty." 

"Uncle Melvin!" Two tall identical blonde teenage girls came running out of the house. 

"Lisa, Elsa, how's my favorite faux nieces?" Frohike said as he hugged them. 

"We've been dying wool." Lisa held up a blue hand. 

Ada sighed. "What happened to the plastic gloves I gave you?" 

"One leaked." 

"Do you make yarn?" Nash asked. 

"Yes," Ada said. "Do you knit?" 

"I knit and sew." 

"Do you want to see our selection of yarns ... Arne and I still haven't figured out how we're going to price them with paper money now worthless," Ada said. 

"I'm a medical Doctor, so maybe we could exchange my services for yarn." 

Ada smiled. "We might be able to work something out." 

Frohike wrapped his arm around Liz's waist as they walked into the house. 

"Ada, I came to see if I could pick up a leg of lamb. Mulder and the other men he lives with got windmills for Laura's and my place that they're going to install next week. I'd like to fix them a nice meal to thank them." 

"That was nice of them ... and of course you can have a leg of lamb," Ada said as she led them into a large room filled with skeins of yarn. 

"Wow. Ada, this is amazing." Nash wandered around the room looking at the muted and brightly colored yarn that filled the room from floor to ceiling. 

"We used to have a supplier in Boston that we sold our yarn to," Ada sighed. "Without her ... it's just been piling up." 

"Don't worry, Ada," Nash said. "Once things settle down, I'm sure your yarn will be worth twice as much as it was back before the invasion." 

"Liz, do you really believe things will settle down?" 

"Yes. It may take years, but I believe our military will be able to expel the aliens and bring some sort of order back to our country." 

"Liz was a Colonel in the army," Frohike said. 

"Really?" Ada looked at her with a little less trust in her eyes. "Why'd you leave?" 

Nash exchanged glances with Frohike. 

"You remember Alex, Mulder's friend?" Frohike asked. 

"Yes. He's a nice young man." 

"The military had arrested him on trumped up treason charges, so Liz helped him escape." 

"So you're in hiding?" Ada asked as she looked at Nash. 

"You could say that," Nash said. 

"Don't worry, Liz, your secret is safe with me." 

~x~X~x~ 

The Bear, Panther, Fox, and Wolf 

Sunday, June 16, 2002 

Standing next to a new raised bed garden, Skinner supervised Mulder and Ellison as they planted the peanut seeds that Paul Doggett had brought them. "Not that deep. You only need to plant them two inches." 

Ellison looked up at Skinner and pushed a little more dirt into the hole. "Okay, how's that?" he said, placing the seed in the small hole. 

"Perfect." 

Since every man admitted that roasted peanuts and peanut butter was a favorite of theirs, they were dedicating a large garden to that particular crop. 

"We'll need something to roast the peanuts in after they're harvested," Mulder said. 

"It shouldn't be a problem to build a roaster. There are a few metal drums in the root cellar we could use," Skinner said. 

Sandburg came up the path from the root cellar carrying a basket full of mushrooms and a jar of tomato sauce. He stopped at the garden. "How's it going?" 

"Fine ... we should have all the seeds planted by noon," Ellison said as he planted another seed. 

"John's making egg salad sandwiches for lunch," Sandburg said. "Do you want me to bring them out here or do you want to eat inside?" 

"We'll eat inside," Skinner said. "The sun's getting a bit too hot for me." 

"I'll call you when lunch is ready," Sandburg said and headed to the house. 

~x~X~x~ 

The Dog and Wolf 

Sandburg walked into the kitchen through the back door and placed the basket on the tall cook's table. "John, I have those items you wanted from the root cellar. We only have two jars of tomato sauce left and one sack of flour." 

"In a couple of weeks we should be getting some non-hydroponics tomatoes," Doggett said as he chopped up the hard-boiled eggs. "I'd like to make some of the pasta sauces from this cook book to put up, instead of just jars of tomatoes." 

"Cool, I'll help you." 

They had hundreds of empty jars stored in the root cellar. Sandburg had enjoyed canning last fall and looked forward to trying his hand at it again. This year they could do the canning as the crops came in, instead of doing most of it in the fall. 

"We'll have to talk to Sean about getting some sacks of flour from the military's food distribution centers." 

Sandburg nodded. They had learned a lot from Liz about what was happening around the country in the nine months since the aliens attacked. The food distribution centers the military was setting up were one of them. According to Liz, most of the country's farms and power plants were operational, but the power grid had been knocked offline throughout the country. The military was working with power companies to get them running in the most critical parts of the nation. An estimated one hundred and eighty million people on the North American continent, mostly those from large urban areas, had lost their lives in the two alien attacks. That was a sizeable portion of the four hundred and twenty-six million people living on the continent. Almost a million people had died over the winter. Most had frozen to death from the lack of heat in the northern states and others had died through riots and general lawlessness. 

Sandburg sat at the cook's table and watched Doggett as he made the sandwiches. The baby kicked and Sandburg realized just how lucky he and Jim were to be a part of this tight knit group. They hardly ever argued or fought. Everyone did their chores without complaint and helped the others if needed. There seemed to be a silent agreement amongst them about how important it was to make this place a home for all of them and their future children. He discussed this in depth with Mulder and they both agreed that their personalities seemed to mesh, and the loyalty and protectiveness that they felt toward each other might in a small way have to do with them being werewolves. By nature, wolves lived and traveled in packs. As the oldest alpha male, Walter had taken on the position as the head of their ragtag family. 

Doggett placed the sandwiches on plates along with a handful of homemade potato chips. "Blair, can you tell the others that lunch is ready while I take mine and Alex's up to the bedroom." 

"Sure, man." 

~x~X~x~ 

Area 51  
Tuesday, June 18, 2002 

General Thomas Vaughan set the paper notebook on his desk and looked at Captain William Scully and Captain Knowle Rohrer, standing at attention in front of his desk. 

"Captain Scully, I'm assigning you to work with Captain Rohrer to locate your sister and Special Agent Fox Mulder." 

"Yes, sir." 

"This notebook is our only clue to Agent Mulder's whereabouts. Mulder gave it to Colonel Elizabeth Nash who is an army Doctor at Fort Mitchell, Virginia. We can only assume that he is somewhere on the East Coast." 

"Sir, wouldn't Colonel Nash be able to contact him?" Bill asked. 

"Colonel Nash with the assistance of a hospital orderly helped an important prisoner to escape from the military hospital. We're looking for all three of them along with Agent Mulder." The General nodded to Rohrer. "Captain Rohrer will fill you in on the details of the case." 

"Yes, sir." 

The General leveled Scully with a stern look. "Captain, I want Agent Mulder alive and unharmed. I've heard you had problems with him." 

"Sir, I will not allow my personal dislike for the man to get in the way of performing my duty." 

"See that you don't." General Vaughan turned to Rohrer. "You have your orders, Captain. I expect results." 

Without saying a word, Rohrer walked out of the office. Bill saluted then hurried after him. 

~x~X~x~ 

The Dog and Rat 

Friday, June 21, 2002 

The day was bright and sunny with the temperature rising into the high nineties. Inside the house was even hotter. They had opened all of the windows but the breeze that occasionally fluttered the drapes did little to cool the place. Doggett helped Alex out of the bed. The sheets were soaked with sweat. 

A couple of hours ago, they'd finally finished the bathroom and Doggett had filled the tub with cool water so his lover could get a little relief from the heat. 

"You guys did a great job in here," Krycek commented as he saw the completed bathroom for the first time. The fixtures were a dark forest green that contrasted nicely with the pine logs. A multicolor hand-woven rug was next to the deep whirlpool bathtub. A large picture window was over the tub that looked out over the vegetable gardens and woods beyond on the west side of the house. Their robes hung from two hooks on the back of the door and a full-length mirror hung on one wall. 

Krycek frowned when saw his image in the mirror. 

Doggett saw his lover's expression and hurried to soothe him. "You're beautiful, Alex." 

"I'm fat and I have boobs!" 

"You're pregnant and those pimples on your chest aren't large enough to fill a bra!" Doggett wasn't about to put up with pouting from his lover. "If you don't lose the weight after you give birth then you can call yourself fat." 

"You're a prick," Krycek grumbled without any real anger as Doggett helped him into the bathtub. He eased his body into the cool water and let out a sigh of contentment. 

"I take it you like the bathtub?" Doggett asked. 

"Yeah, this is great. Why don't you join me?" 

"I'd love to, but I want to change the sheets on the bed and flip the mattress." Doggett leaned down and kissed him. "I'll bring you up a nice cold glass of grape Kool-Aid." 

"How about an iced coffee?" 

"You've already had your one mug of caffeine for the day." 

"Well it was worth a shot." Krycek picked up a washcloth, dipped it in the cool water, and placed it on top of his head. 

Doggett smiled at him as he stood and walked out of the bedroom. He stripped the bed and carried the soiled sheets downstairs to the laundry room. Skinner was folding a load of towels. 

"Hey, Walt, mind if I use the washing machine?" 

"No, go ahead. I'm done with it," Skinner said. 

After loading the sheets into the washer, Doggett headed into the kitchen for the Kool-Aid. Sandburg was sitting at the cook's table working on the layout for the new addition. "Hi, Blair." 

"How's it going, man?" Sandburg asked. 

"Fine." He glanced out the window where Fox and Jim were painting two picnic tables that they had made in the workshop. 

Skinner walked into the room. "I'm grilling steaks out on the barbecue for dinner." 

"Sounds good," Doggett said. Over the past week they'd been using the barbecue in the backyard instead of the woodstove to cook their meals. It was just too hot to cook indoors. With the freezer that Paul and Mike had brought them, they now had a place to store plenty of meat. 

Sandburg set down the pencil and picked up an eraser. "Guys, what do you think of this plan?" 

Doggett and Skinner gathered around the cook's table to look at the new sketch. It had the expanded parlor with one new bedroom off it along with a spiral staircase leading up to two additional bedrooms that were off the loft and new bathroom. Sandburg pointed to a large bedroom on the second floor. "John, this will be yours and Alex's new bedroom." 

"Do we really need two staircases?" Doggett asked. The staircase they put in last fall was on the opposite side of the loft from the new addition. 

"I think we do ... if this place ever catches on fire it could be a lifesaver." 

"I like the modifications you made to the plan," Skinner said. The old plan was only one story with two small bedrooms. This plan was two stories with three bedrooms and it freed up the loft. 

"Good job, Blair." Doggett nodded. "We can start preparing the land for the addition. It's going to take us a few months to build it." 

~x~X~x~ 

The Fox, Bear, Panther, and Dog 

Wednesday, June 26, 2002 

Mulder leaped, sunk the basketball through the hoop over the barn door, and landed gracefully back on his feet. "Game," he said with a tired and victorious glance at Ellison. 

They'd just played five intense games of one-on-one with this last one being the tiebreaker. If the sun wasn't setting Mulder would have loved to play a few more games. 

"I'll even the score tomorrow," Ellison said as he picked up a towel and wiped the sweat off his face and nicely toned upper body. 

"Don't count on it." Mulder grinned as he put the basketball away inside the barn. 

They walked back to the house together. 

"I could use a shower," Ellison said as they stepped inside the house. 

"Go ahead. I'll grab one after you." Mulder glanced around for Walter. Not seeing him in the kitchen or parlor, he walked over to their bedroom then spotted Walter through the screen door, standing out on the front porch. 

The last rays of sunlight vanished and mosquitoes began their quest for blood. Mulder swatted one that had alighted upon his arm the moment he stepped out on the porch. 

"Walter, come inside you're going to be eaten alive." 

Skinner glanced over his shoulder and smiled nervously. "They don't seem to bite me as much as they do you." 

"What are you doing out here?" 

"Watching fireflies and getting a breath of fresh air." 

Mulder's eyes followed Walter's to the field in front of the house. He could make out the dark shapes of hundreds of logs piled up in one section with tiny flickers of light from fireflies that flew around them. It was so beautiful out here tonight -- almost magical. Regardless of the serenity, something in Walter's voice and body language had caused Mulder to be concerned. "What's wrong?" he asked. 

"I've been feeling odd most of the day," Skinner said. "I think I might be having labor pains." 

"Why didn't you say something earlier?" Mulder felt panicked. 

"I have two weeks to go before my due date and wasn't sure until now." Skinner shot him an anxious look. "I'm afraid, Fox." 

Mulder hugged him. "Don't worry, I'm going to get on the radio to Langly and have him send someone over to Laura's place. They'll be here soon ... it's going to be all right." 

Ending the hug, Mulder hurried into the house and over to the alcove off the foyer where they had the radio set up. Doggett must have overheard him explaining the situation to Langly, since he came hurrying down the stairs. 

"Alex and I heard you talking on the radio. Is it true?" Doggett asked. 

"We'll know as soon as Liz and Laura can examine him," Mulder said as he stood and hurried back to the porch only to discover that Walter was nowhere in sight. 

"Walter!" Mulder called. He knew his lover hadn't come back inside; he had kept his eye on the screen door from the alcove. Where had he gone? 

"What's wrong, Fox?" Doggett asked as he joined him outside. 

"I left Walter on the porch." Mulder rushed inside to get a flashlight. He grabbed one and hurried back outside. "John, I'm going to go look for him! He couldn't have wandered far. Stay here in case he comes back." 

~x~X~x~ 

The Dog, Rat, Wolf, Frog, and Panther 

Doggett paced the house spending his time between the upstairs loft bedroom and the downstairs parlor. Four hours had passed since Walter had disappeared and still no word from him or Fox. The Gunmen and their two doctors had been there for three hours waiting and setting up an operating room where they would perform the c-section. Doggett wanted to go out to look for Walter and Fox, but he couldn't leave Alex without his protection. Something was wrong. It didn't make sense that Walter would wander off. If he were in labor that would put both his and the baby's life in danger. So that meant something else had happened to him. 

"I'm going out to look for them," Ellison announced. 

"I'll go with you," Sandburg said. 

"No." Ellison looked at his very pregnant lover. "You'll only slow me down." 

"I'm your guide." 

"You're in no condition to be traipsing through the woods at night." 

"I won't allow you to go without someone to watch your back!" 

Doggett was about to offer to go but Frohike beat him to it. 

"I'll go with Jim," Frohike said. "I'm the most familiar with these woods." 

Nash had been listening to the whole exchange. "Mel, be careful. We don't know what happened to Walter and Mulder." 

"I'm always careful." He gave her a peck on the cheek then headed for the door. "C'mon, Jim, let's go find them." 

After they left, Doggett headed back upstairs and walked into the bedroom. He looked at Alex sitting up in bed knitting. 

"Have they found them yet?" Krycek asked as his fingers stilled in their nervous task. 

"No. Jim and Melvin have gone out to search for them." Doggett frowned. He didn't want Alex to worry. "I'm sure they're all right." He sat on the bed and took the knitting needles from his lover's hands. "C'mon, it's two in the morning, why don't you try to get some sleep? I'll wake you when we find them." 

"I won't be able to sleep until I know they're safe." 

Doggett placed his hand on the pregnant swell of Alex's belly. He felt their baby move and smiled. "Lie back and rest then for our daughter." 

~x~X~x~ 

The Frog, Panther, Bear, and Fox 

Holding a flashlight, Frohike followed Ellison through the dark woods. The sentinel slowed and held up a hand as they approached a mossy section of land near the lake. Weeping willows gave this place a surreal whimsical air even at night. Frohike watched as hundreds of fireflies glowed in the darkness around them under the thick canopy of branches. They reminded of him fairies dancing in a mystical dell from some ancient fairytale, suddenly before his eyes Ellison morphed into a large panther. 

"I guess magic is in the air tonight," he said in a hushed tone. 

The panther moved silently through the trees. When they stepped into a hollow Frohike froze in his tracks. Before his eyes were two wolves. One was lying on its side on the soft mossy ground while the other hovered protectively at its side. The prostrate wolf was obviously pregnant, and it didn't take Frohike more than a second to realize what was happening. 

The panther sat on its haunches at Frohike's side as they spent the next half hour silently watching. 

A whimper passed the wolf's mouth as his body contracted and a baby wolf was born. The other wolf barked then started to lick the newborn clean. After the pregnant wolf delivered the afterbirth, it helped the other clean their pup with tender swipes of their long moist tongues. 

Frohike watched in amazement as the tiny pup started to nurse at its mother's teat. It was at this point that all three wolves morphed into humans. Skinner appeared confused and started at the tiny infant suckling at his breast. His look turned to amazement then to love as he looked up at Mulder kneeling protectively over him. 

Mulder smiled. "We have a son." 

"How?" Skinner asked his voice filled with wonder. He placed a hand over the infant's back and head to support it against his breast as he sat up. 

Frohike cleared his throat as Ellison morphed back. "You gave birth while in wolf form." 

Mulder looked at Frohike then back at his lover and chuckled. "I guess Alex was wrong; you do have a place where a baby could exit." 

Skinner only half heard them. His entire being was focused on the small life suckling on his nipple. "He's so tiny." 

"He's beautiful ... look at those tiny fingernails," Mulder marveled. 

"Yeah, he looks like you," Skinner said. 

Mulder caressed the side of the infant's face with the back of his finger. "I think he looks more like you." 

"With that head of hair?" The baby had soft brown hair on his head. 

One thing that surprised Frohike was Mulder and Skinner were clothed when they morphed back. The flap on Skinner's overalls was unfastened, exposing his breast where the infant nursed -- it was such a beautiful sight that it brought a tear to his eye. 

Ellison finally found his voice. "Walt, can you walk? We should get back home; everyone is worried about you and Fox." 

"I feel all right ... just a little wobbly," Skinner said while gazing lovingly at the baby. "It feels like I lost the balling ball I was carrying." 

Mulder stripped off his sleeveless T-shirt and handed it to Skinner who wrapped it around the baby then Mulder helped him to his feet. Ellison and Frohike moved closer for a better view of the baby. 

"He's perfect," Frohike said. 

Skinner looked into the small man's eyes. "Guys, I'd like you to meet, Connor Mulder-Skinner." 

"Hey, my middle name is...." Frohike's eyes misted over when it sunk in that they had named the baby after him. 

"We know, Fro," Mulder said as he placed an arm around his friend's shoulders. 

When the baby stopped suckling, Skinner asked, "Fox, do you want to hold our son?" 

Mulder hesitated before carefully taking the baby into his arms. "Aren't we supposed to burp him or something?" 

"We'll burp him when we get him home," Skinner said as he walked beside Mulder. 

Frohike watched the tender way his friend cradled the baby and the look of wonder on Mulder's face as they started back toward the house. This kid was going to be spoiled with the two of them for parents. Scratch that, the kid would be spoiled with him for an uncle. Frohike was looking forward to teaching everything he knew to Connor. 

~x~X~x~ 

The trip back home didn't take long; they'd only been three miles away. While they made their way through the woods and across the uneven ground, Skinner's attention was on the baby in Mulder's arms, and how natural his lover looked holding their child. He couldn't get over the amazement that this perfect infant with its ten perfect fingers and toes was what had been growing inside of him for the past nine months. It made what he had gone through more than worth it. He had a son -- it was so unbelievable. 

When they walked into their home, Liz, Laura, Blair, and the Gunmen gathered around them. Skinner saw the disbelief written all over their faces. 

"How?" Nash asked as her eyes looked between the baby and Skinner's no longer pregnant belly. 

Frohike put his arm around her back. "Walter gave birth while in wolf form then changed back." 

Laura held out her hands to Mulder. "May I examine the baby?" 

Mulder passed Connor to her then they all followed Laura into the bathroom that was set up as an operating room with the gurney from the ambulance. 

"I guess we won't need these any longer," Laura said as she pushed the cart with the scalpels and other sharp instruments out of the way and laid the baby on the gurney. 

Skinner shivered as he looked at the scalpels. He'd come so close to being cut open. 

While Laura examined the infant Liz started a cursory examination of Skinner. "How do you feel, Walter?" she asked as she pulled out a blood pressure monitor and wrapped it around his arm. 

"I have a slight ache in my lower abdomen and my nipples are sore, but other than that I feel fine." The overalls now hung loose on his body. His midsection was flabby with stretch marks -- it would take some serious exercise to get him back in shape, but Skinner was looking forward to intense physical activities. He glanced at Mulder standing bare-chested next to the gurney with knit shorts hugging his ass and groin. Oh yeah, lots of physical activity. 

"Congratulations, Walt," Doggett said from the doorway his eyes on the newborn. "You don't know how worried we were when you disappeared." 

"John, I don't remember anything from the time Fox left me on the porch until I found myself in the woods with a baby in my arms." Skinner glanced at the gurney as Laura examined Connor. He couldn't get over how perfect his son looked. 

"Aren't you a little cutie," Laura cooed as she placed the stethoscope against the infant's chest. 

Connor's face scrunched up and he let loose a loud gusty shriek while his tiny hands clenched into fists. 

Mulder looked at Skinner and smirked. "He has your voice." 

To Skinner's utter shock and embarrassment, the baby's crying caused his nipples to start to leak, wetting the front of his bib overalls. Nash must have noticed since she quickly ushered everyone, except Mulder, out of the bathroom. 

"Gentlemen, if you'll excuse us," she said, shutting the door after they had left. 

Connor was still shrieking at the top of his lungs, so Mulder quickly picked the baby up and tried to comfort him. 

"Walter, you're going to need to wear some sort of nursing bra to prevent embarrassing leaks," Nash said. 

"I'm not wearing a bra, Liz, think of something else." Skinner placed his hand tenderly on the back of his crying son's head. "What's wrong with him?" 

"Maybe he's hungry...." Mulder's expression turned to one of shock. "Or maybe he had to poop." He gently laid the baby down on the gurney. His hand was covered with a tarry excrement. 

No longer being held, the baby cried even louder. Mulder did a shuffle between heading over to the sink to wash his hands and back to comfort the baby. Laura saved him from making a choice by wrapping the baby in a towel and picking him up. 

Between just giving birth, leaking nipples, and the crying baby, Skinner was feeling a little overwhelmed. 

"Walter, where are the terrycloth washcloths, baby powder, and diapers?" Liz asked. 

"In the laundry room...." Skinner said as he moved out of the way of the sink so Fox could wash his hands. "...in the cabinet over the washing machine." 

"I'll be right back," Liz said as she hurried out of the room. 

She was back a couple minutes later with her arms filled. "Okay, boys, this is your first lesson in how to properly clean and diaper your baby." 

She set the items on the gurney then wet and soaped a washcloth. "Male babies are harder to clean than females." Connor continued to cry as she lifted his legs and cleaned him. "You'll need to clean his sacs and pull back his foreskin and clean the tissue underneath. Have you thought about getting your son circumcised?" 

"No, we haven't discussed it yet." Skinner watched her closely. "How come his shit is black?" 

"This is your baby's first bowel movement," Laura said as she stood next to Liz. "Don't worry his excrement will become more normal in the coming days. You'll want to have a covered pail with a little bleach to put the soiled diapers in until you can wash them." 

"Liz got us a diaper pail," Mulder said. "It's in the laundry room." 

"You probably should put it in here," Laura said as she handed Liz the baby powder. "You're going to want to rinse the poopie diapers in the toilet before placing them in the pail." 

Liz powdered Connor's butt and genitals. "It's important to keep your son's bottom dry. If you think he's crying loud now, just imagine how upset he'll be with a rash on his bottom. Also always powder the baby before you dress him." 

"May I?" Skinner held out his hand for the diaper. The cloth diaper was the fitted type with snap closures. It wasn't difficult to get it fastened on his son. He took the plastic diaper cover and pulled that on over the diaper. Liz had also brought in a short-sleeved, legless bodysuit that snapped over the diaper. It was too hot to put the infant in anything heavier. Skinner had some trouble getting the bodysuit on the crying baby. Once he had it snapped in place, he picked his son up and cuddled him. Connor quieted as he was rocked in his mother's strong arms. 

"You should feed him every three hours and check his diaper," Liz said. 

"That often?" Skinner looked down at his son's precious face while Fox stood next to him. 

"I'd suggest you use the breast pump. You can put a couple of bottles of your milk in the refrigerator and Mulder can help you feed the baby during the night." Liz looked at the baby. "You should feed him after you change his diaper." 

"You mean now?" 

"If you want some privacy we'll leave. Just be sure you allow him to nurse from each breast for the same amount of time," Liz said. 

After they left, Fox unfastened Walter's bib overalls and helped him remove them. 

"I'll get you a pair of shorts and a T-shirt to wear," Mulder said. 

"You can burn those," Skinner said as he shifted the infant until his tiny mouth was pressed against his left nipple. 

"I'll wash them and put them away," Mulder said as he folded the overalls. "You can never tell when we might need them again." 

"I hope you're joking." 

Mulder just smiled sweetly as he left the bathroom and closed the door. 

Fox couldn't seriously believe he'd go through this again. It took Skinner a bit of coaxing before the baby latched onto his nipple and started suckling at his breast. It felt damn uncomfortable. 

When Fox walked back into the room, Skinner said, "Connor, if you want a sister or brother just let me know and I'll knock Daddy Fox up." 

"Let's potty train this one first," Mulder said. 

Skinner hadn't expected that response. "You're not saying that you'd be willing to have my baby." 

"No, I'm not saying that...." He set the clothes he was carrying on the shelf. 

"I didn't think so." He knew Fox's inquisitive nature made him more inclined to want to experience things for himself. 

"Let's see how we are as parents," Mulder said. 

When Skinner tried to switch the baby to his other breast, he winced in pain, Connor didn't want to let go his nipple. By chance he discovered when pressing his fingers on his breast near the baby's mouth the nipple popped free. 

"He's really hungry," Mulder commented as Skinner shifted the baby to his other breast. 

Skinner yawned. "God, I'm tired ... what time is it?" 

"It's a little after four in the morning." 

Regardless of his sore nipples, or how tired he felt, Skinner was happy. He had a son, a beautiful life partner, good friends, and the home of his dreams. For the first time in his life Skinner felt complete. Even when he reached his life goal of becoming an FBI Assistant Director, he'd never felt this sense of satisfaction. 

Connor seemed to have fallen asleep while suckling. Skinner removed his nipple from his son's mouth then placed him on his cloth-covered shoulder to burp him. 

Mulder moved closer and gently rubbed the baby's back. "Let me take Connor, so you can grab a shower. It'll be dawn soon and you should try to get a couple of hours of sleep." 

Skinner reluctantly passed the baby to Fox then leaned in and kissed him. "Thanks, sweetheart." 

Mulder looked down at their son who yawned and sucked on his tiny fist. "C'mon, Con, let's go meet your uncles." 

~x~X~x~ 

Everyone was in the kitchen drinking coffee and talking when Mulder stepped out of the bathroom. They all gathered around to see the baby. Mulder looked at their curious faces all focused on the little life in his arms. 

"The little dude has more hair than Walter," Langly said. 

"Mulder, I'm not sure if he looks more like you or Walter," Byers said. 

Jimmy put his finger in the baby's hand. "He has a good grip." 

"Can I hold him?" Frohike and Sandburg asked. 

Sandburg turned to Frohike. "Go ahead, Melvin. I'll have plenty of time to hold him after you guys leave." 

Mulder didn't really want to relinquish his son just yet, but the look on Frohike's face had him placing the sleeping infant in the short man's arms. 

"He smells good," Frohike whispered as he walked over and sat on the bentwood rocker in the parlor. 

Mulder noticed the smile on Liz's lips as she watched Frohike holding the baby. It saddened him that the two of them would never be parents. Frohike would have made a good dad. Maybe they'd be happy being godparents to Connor. 

Doggett came downstairs and paused beside the rocking chair to look at the infant. 

"Is Alex awake?" Mulder asked. 

"No. He fell asleep soon after you and Walter made it home," Doggett said. 

"I think we all could use some sleep," Mulder said. It had been a while since he pulled an all nighter. Dawn was fast approaching and he had chores to do in a couple of hours. 

Ellison put his hand on Sandburg's back. "Well, if you'll excuse us, Blair and I are going to try to grab a few hours of sleep." 

"Liz, we should get going, too," Laura said. "Guys, we'll be back tonight." 

Nash stopped beside the rocking chair. She bent and kissed Frohike. "I'll see you later." 

"I'm going to stay here a few more hours to help out," Frohike said as he cradled the baby. 

After everyone left, Skinner stepped out of the bathroom freshly showered. His eyes quickly scanned the room until they located Connor. "Should we put Connor in his crib?" 

Frohike looked up at him. "Why don't you go to bed, Walt? I'll watch him until you get up." 

"Melvin, I want my baby." 

At the frustrated look on Walter's face, Mulder quickly walked over to the rocking chair and whispered in his friend's ear. "Go home, Frohike. In a couple of days we'll be begging you to watch him." 

Frohike sighed but didn't protest as Mulder took the baby from him. "Okay, Mulder. I'm going to grab a few Zs on your sofa before I head home," he said. 

"I'll fix you breakfast before you leave," Mulder said as he placed the baby in Walter's arms. 

Throughout all of it Connor remained asleep. 

"Are you coming to bed, Fox?" Walter asked. 

"No. I'm going to get a start on the chores." Mulder gave him a peck on the lips. "I'll catch a nap later." The cows needed milking and the livestock needed feeding. At least, now that the baby was born, Mulder hoped that Walter would be able to help with the chores a bit more. 

"Okay," Walter said as he leaned in and kissed Mulder more thoroughly. "Just don't wear yourself out -- I have plans for you tonight." 

"I'll hold you to that promise." Mulder followed him into the bedroom and changed into jeans and a t-shirt. He sat and pulled on socks on work boots -- one did not clean the barn in sandals. He'd take a shower after he finished milking the cows and cleaning the barn. 

Walter placed their son in the crib. Then he stripped and crawled into bed and was asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow. 

Mulder made sure the mosquito netting was around the crib and bed. He paused for a moment to look at their son. He never would have imagined this change in his life in a hundred years and wondered what Scully would think if she found out that their former boss had just given birth to his son. Mulder smiled, Walter looked so sexy sleeping naked on top of the sheets. The bedspread and blankets were put away inside the chest that he and Ellison had made for Christmas. It was just too hot for anything other than sheets on the bed. 

The sun was just starting to rise when Mulder stepped outside. In the distance he heard a rumble of thunder and smelled the scent of ozone in the air. A storm was brewing and he hoped it would be heading this way. Their gardens and crops could use a good soaking. 

Mulder walked into the barn. "Girls, you'll have to stay inside until the storm passes," he said to the cows as he pulled up a stool. 

~x~X~x~ 

North Carolina  
Paul Doggett's Farm 

Bill Scully glanced around the parlor. It was a typical country farmhouse. The furniture was an old knotty pine. Photographs from several generations of Doggetts hung on the walls. 

"I haven't seen my son since last fall," Paul said. "John had stopped here with a friend of his shortly after the aliens attacked." 

"Mr. Doggett, did your son say where he was going?" Bill Scully asked. He could see the distrust in the older man's eyes and hear it on his voice. It didn't help that Rohrer and the other men were ransacking the man's home looking for evidence. 

"My son is not a traitor, Captain Scully. John is a Marine and an FBI Agent. He served his country with honor." 

"Your son helped a prisoner escape." 

"According to you." 

Scully decided to try another approach the old man wasn't about to cut them any slack. "Can you tell me about your son's work for the FBI? I heard that he was placed in charge of the X-File's department." 

"My son never discussed his work with me." 

"Look, sir, the military is not interested in your son. We'd be willing to forgo any changes against him if you can help us contact him." 

"Why would you do that?" Paul asked. "If, as you said, he's a traitor." 

"I know your son, Mr. Doggett," Rohrer said from the doorway. "He's an honorable man and not one to betray his country." 

"What do you want?" 

"We're looking for this man." Bill pulled a photograph out of his briefcase. "He's a former FBI agent and used to be in charge of the X-Files before your son." 

Paul looked at the photo and handed it back. "Don't know him." 

Rohrer walked over to the radio and sat in front of it. "Who do you talk to on your radio?" 

"Other farmers in the area and the local military." 

Rohrer wrote down the numbers currently on the radio. "You bought four windmills this spring. I'd like to know where they are." 

"That's my business," Paul said, his jaws clenched and eyes harden. "Either charge me with a crime or get the hell out of my home!" 

Rohrer stood and approached the old man. There was menace in his movements but not in his words. "I'm cutting you a break because you're John's Dad and the military needs your crops." He turned to Scully. "Let's go. I think we've found everything we need here." 

Bill followed Rohrer and the other soldiers out of the house. The soldiers were carrying boxes of items they found in the house. The sun was just coming up on the horizon. 

"He's hiding something," Scully said as he slid into the passenger seat of the Humvee. 

"We're going to monitor his movements," Rohrer said. "I'm hoping he'll lead us to his son." 

~x~X~x~ 

End of Chapter Thirteen: Aughhh! 

Coming soon Chapter Fourteen: 

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